Should bands eliminate encores from concerts? (Poll)

Can you imagine Bruce Springsteen performing a concert with no encores? It happened in Philadelphia last Friday night and it was great! Bruce and the band were so good at the Wells Fargo Center that I would say it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. I partially think this because they didn't leave the stage until the show was over.

My problem with encores is that we all know that the band is going to play more songs, so why make us sit in a dark room holding a lit cell phone begging a band to come out and do what they were going to do anyway?

Bruce cut straight to the chase by not bothering to leave the stage. After performing the “River” album in its entirety, he “carried on” with an incredible version of ‘Atlantic City” followed by “Prove It All Night,” "My Love Will Not Let You Down," and “Wrecking Ball.” Imagine the crowd's reaction in Philly when he sang about the Giants!

Bruce continued the show with “Human Touch,” “Jungleland,” “The Rising,” “Thunder Road,” “Born To Run,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Rosalita,” and finally “Shout.” All of this happened without a break. Each song thrived off of the energy of the last, like a DJ creating the ultimate playlist.

There was no leaving the stage to wait for you to beg them to come back. Like the song says ‘you know just what I’m here for,” we were there to hear him play and he went above and beyond. He kept going until we were so spent we could barely make it out of the arena. That's the way you should leave a show!

Would you like to see bands just play through or do you like the break before the encore?